Centrifugally operated machine



Nov. 14, 1950 H. A. A. EXNER CENTRIFUGALLY OPERATED MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1947 INVENTUR HellmullL A.A Eacner.

A TC )R NEY Patented Nov. 14, 1950 CENTRIFUGALLY OPERATED MACHINE Hellmuth Alfredo Arturo Exner,

Florida, Argentina I Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,661

3 Claims.

The present invention refers to improvements in centrifugal refrigerating machines, its object being essentially a refrigerating machine of the type where the refrigerant gas, after having been greatly compressed, is allowed to expand freely, an intense cooling of the refrigerant taking place as a consequence of said expansion, the gas, under these conditions, acting as a refrigeration agent.

The essential characteristic of the machine which is an object of the present invention consists in the fact that the refrigerant gas is compressed by means of the centrifugal force originated inside a rotor, which eliminates the use of the common compressors and further accessory elements, thereby bringing about a remarkable simplification of the mechanism, longer usefulness of the installation and a considerable increase in its output.

The invention equally envisages other accessory objects, which will become apparent in the reading of the present specification.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood and readily put into effect, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to attached drawings, which is to be taken as an illustration but in no way as a limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial vertical section, in elevation, of the refrigerating machine forming the object of the present invention, on line II of Figure 2, and:

Figure 2 is a partial plan section of the same machine, on line II-II of Figure 1.

Like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the refrigerating machine forming the object of the present invention is built up essentially of a hermetic housing I, made of sheet metal or other suitable material, which is filled with ammonia or other refrigerant gas.

According to the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the top 2 of housing I is substantially flat, whereas the lower basis or bottom 3 is of conical shape; in its central part there is formed a reservoir 4 for the refrigerant gas in its liquid state, said reservoir being shaped as a receptacle or housing with a flat bottom; on the inside, housing I is fitted with a series of ribs 5, which extend radially from the top 2 to the reservoir 4, the object of which will be seen later.

In turn, a tubular extension 6 starts from the center of the top 2 of housing I; this extension is of cylindrical shape and extends upwardly,

ending in a support I, from which a shaft 3 is suspended vertically by means of roller, or similar bearings 8. The lower portion of shaft 9 is hollow or of tubular section, and is driven at high speed, by means of an electric motor which substantially comprises a stator I I], mounted within the cylindrical extension Ii of housin I by means of support II, and a rotor I2, mounted on shaft 9in the interior of cylindrical extension 6 of housing I.

As may be seen by consulting Figure 1, shaft 3 passes through housing I, and is joined to a rotor I3, which in turn comprises a housing of truncated conical shape made of sheet metal or similar material. The lower part of this rotor I3 is provided with a cylindrical extension I I, which internally carries a gas turbine, formed by a series of blades [5 mounted on the cylindrical portion I4 of rotor I3, said blades rotating jointly with aforementioned rotor, and a series of counter blades I6 forming integral part of sleeve II, which in turn forms the support of ball bearings I8, or similar bearings adjusted to the lower portion of shaft 9. At its largest diameter, rotor I3 is provided with a suitable number of small nozzles IS, the purpose of which, as will be made clear further on, is to serve as refrigerant gas atomizers. Furthermore, one or more radial blades 20 are internally fixed to rotor I3; the object of these will also be made clear further on, it being sufficient to say here that they extend from the portion left free by turbine blades I5 and I6, and that they cover the entire truncated cone-shaped portion inside of rotor I3.

The apparatus as described is complemented by a liquid circulation system, composed of a hollow ring 2I of triangular cross section, adapted to the internal periphery of rotor I3 and externally provided with a certain number of heat absorbing radiation fins 22. Within the lower portion of shaft 9 a spiral 23 is housed, fixed to the lower base of housing I, and, through the high turning speed of shaft 9, returning the refrigerant liquid to circulation, drawing same from receptacle 24. From the lower hollow portion of shaft 9, a series of conduits 25 are derived, the purpose of same being to feed liquid into ring 2|, whereas the outlet pipes 26 are connected by means of a pipe 21, of plastic material or any other heat insulating substance, fixed to the upper portion of hollow shaft 9, and extending through the internal portion of spiral or helix 23, ending in an outlet pipe 28, the last of which, in turn, opens into radiator 23, disposed outside of the refrigerating machine for the purpose of cooling the circulating liquid by means of heat radiation. A further conduit 30 completes the circulation circuit, connecting radiator 29 with receptacle 24 of helix 23.

From the foregoing it may be seen that when the motor is started, armature III causes the circulating system to rotate at high speed, said system consisting of helix 23 which causes the liquid contained in receptacle 24 to ascend through hollow shaft 9 and continue on its way through inlet tube 25 and hollow ring 2|. Through centrifugal force the liquid contained in said ring 2I will be strongly pressed against its internal peripherical surface, thus absorbing the heat caused by compression of the refrigerant gas, said compression having been brought about through centrifugal force originating in the manner that will be explained further on, and as a consequence thereof, said liquid will be heated and in these conditions will circulate through upper tubes 26, in the direction shown by the arrows, and through hollow shaft 9, descending through tube 21 and turning together with same (said tube forming integral part of shaft 9), from where the liquid is sent through tube 28 to the radiator, slowly circulating therein through radiation conduits 29 of said radiator, being cooled therein and in this state entering through tube 30 to be returned to receptacle 24 and thus complete the circulation circuit on being once more drawn up through helix 23.

In its rapid rotation, as has been said before, shaft 9 actuates rotor I3, and through the operation of the turbine formed by blades I and IS, the refrigerant gas contained in chamber or housing I, and that which in a liquid condition is deposited in reservoir 4, is drawn up by said turbine and enters through the lower opening 3| of aforementioned rotor.

Consequent upon this rotation and the cooperating influence of blades 20, said gas is submitted to centrifugal force, being strongly pressed thereby against the internal periphery of the rotor; as a consequence of this pressure, the gas is strongly heated, and this heat is then absorbed by the compressed liquid that at that moment is circulating through hollow ring 2|, as formerly explained.

Owing to the high pressure of the gas contained in the internal periphery of rotor I3, and the consequent cooling effect brought about by the circulating liquid, said gas is liquefied and in these circumstances is vaporized through nozzles I9, and in this state enters housing I, where it expands freely, and thus causes intense cold.

At the same time that this vaporization takes place, together with the consequent compression of the gas through the joint action of the turbine formed by blades I5 and I6 and of centrifugal force, a lowering of pressure is brought about within housing I, which facilitates the vaporization of the liquid gas.

Blades 5 fixed to the inside of housing I, tend to prevent that part of the gas contained therein be displaced by the movement of rotor I3, whereas on the contrary, blades 20 affixed to the internal portion of said rotor, tend to impel the gas contained therein at the same turning speed as the rotor.

The intense cold produced in housing I is transmitted by ribs 5 and 32 and the wall of housing I itself to the outside, being absorbed by the atmosphere or by another liquid, as preferred. The liquid circulation system can be fed with the same gas in a liquid state as that which is atomized, because during its entire travel the liquid is kept under pressure. If so desired, the outlet of shaft 9 can be made otherwise than through conduit 28, to which purpose the liquid can be carried by a pipe connected with the outlet conduits 26, descending within hollow shaft 9, turning with same and entering helix 23, which in turn, being hollow, allows the passage of the liquid towards the outside by means of a pipe connected to the bottom of said helix 23. This pipe is not shown in the drawings in order not to complicate the explanation of the system.

The invention as described and illustrated may be clearly understood and no further explanations will be required by those versed in the matter.

As the invention herein shown and specified has been described in the manner of a preferred embodiment which is to be considered as an illustrative example and in no ways a limitation upon the invention, same may be subjected to changes in its construction and details without thereby departing from its essential nature, as clearly defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a centrifugally operating refrigerating machine the combination comprising a closed housing, a shaft journaled in the housing, a hollow rotor affixed to the shaft and communicating through its lower end with the housing, atomizing nozzles carried by the rotor and establishing communication between the housing and rotor vaporizing means associated with the lower end of the rotor, a reservoir for liquid refrigerant in the housing and below the lower end of the rotor, a hollow ring rigid with the rotor, inlet means for other liquid refrigerant connected at one end to the ring, radiator means connected to the other end of the inlet means, outlet means for the other liquid refrigerant connected at one end to the ring and at the other end to the radiator means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and wherein the shaft is vertical and tubular and the inlet means is connected by the interior of the shaft to the radiator means and the outlet means is connected by a tube within the shaft to the radiator means and a helix surrounding the tube within the shaft is provided to feed liquid refrigerant to the inlet means.

3, The combination according to claim 1 and also comprising means rigid with the interior of the housing tending to prevent movement of the gas with the rotor, and means rigid with the interior of the rotor tending to impel the gas contained therein to turn therewith.

HELLMUTH ALFREDO ARTURO EXNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,446,727 Smith Feb. 27, 1923 1,466,971 Stewart Sept. 4, 1923 1,987,739 Hammell Jan. 15, 1935 2,393,338 Roebuck Jan. 22, 1946 

